Armed Police marched on the University of Pittsburgh campus after students gathered in hopes of getting a glimpse of Barack Obama at the Phipps Conservatory. There were maybe 20 protesters, and several hundred watching, at first. The police threw tear gas into the crowd, but the crowd reassembled. Later that night the police used serious intimidation techniques, including firing tear gas into crowds, using rubber bullets on students, beating people on the sidewalk with batons, and charging at crowds and arresting those who didn’t run fast enough. Also, a new weapon called a Sound Cannon was fired on students, marking one of the first times the weapon has been used in America. (The first time was at a march earlier today, which I was also at.) Police MARCHED INTO OUR DORMITORIES and told us we needed to get in our rooms immediately or face arrest and expulsion. These are various snippets of video I took throughout the event. Later, Deputy Police Chief said that the police were moving against “anarchists” and that “some students” probably got caught up in the action.

Related

25 Comments

Try protesting in Cuba ten years ago and maybe even today. I’m sure the tear gas and sound cannons are the least of their worries. Man, we have it so good in this country even when we protest and we still complain about how tough it is!!

ANYONE who thinks voilence is not justified by the protestors here needs to go take ten minutes and read the constitution. Throw rocks, get dumpsters rollin into their lines. It is time for a revolution.

Don’t get violent. Keep an eye on the folks who are. Record them. Watch as they cross the line and join their fellow officers later. Agent provocators are among you so the cops get the excuse to beat you.

well, the police doesn’t just attack the people right there, there must be a reason for it. It will mean that all the officer’s there would have broke the law if they attacked the crowd without reason.

@Billneuro4Liberty It was anything but peaceful, I was there. You know how many millions of dollars in property damage occurred during the riots. Also in most cities including Pittsburgh you must attain a permit to assemble. The permit allows the city to deny protesters because it usually turns sour. The city council is elected by the citizens of the city and act on behalf of the city, they don’t want hundreds of idiots from out of state destroying everything. GO COPS.

@Billneuro4Liberty It was anything but peaceful, I was there. You know how many millions of dollars in property damage occurred during the riots. Also in most cities including Pittsburgh you must attain a permit to assemble. The permit allows the city to deny protesters because it usually turns sour. The city council is elected by the citizens of the city and act on behalf of the city, they don’t want hundreds of idiots from out of state destroying everything. GO COPS.

@zpgJiggleBilly The constitution says that it is a RIGHT to peaceably assemble. If it is a right rather than a privilege, then it is unconstitutional to ask for a permit.

You’re right, I wasn’t there and can not attest to WHY it got violent. Given the track record of disregard for the Constitution Pittsburg seems to have (such as 1st Amendment RIGHTS), I would not be surprised if it was the police that turned to violence first and caused people to respond in self-defense.

wow its cool to document but the people / kids taking the vid here, comments like they made are the light of weak minded passive citizens that has givin the government everything. Stand the fuck up you pretty little princess’s lol.